While airbags are now accepted in use for automobile passengers, some similar form of safety for riders of various open vehicles has become a more recognized need. Riders of motorcycles, ATV's (all terrain vehicles), snowmobiles, and bicycles are exemplary of those needing protective wear which cushions impact with extraneous objects and even the ground. Typical impact scenarios regarding such vehicles often results in a rider or riders being thrown from the vehicle.
Various devices have been proposed to mitigate injury in such circumstances. Gas tank mounted airbags, of a sort, have been offered, but these do not prevent injury to those thrown as noted. Various forms of inflating wear have been proposed. Some involve complex electronic triggering and sensing means, which is not only expensive and inherently prone to more failure than mechanical means, but also fraught with other problems. Shielding such equipment on or in open vehicles such as those named above involves complexity and cost. Equipment sending radio signals between rider and vehicle requires an almost endless multiple frequency capability in order to define one rider and vehicle from the next, as many riders travel in large groups and in close proximity. Additionally, any device which requires a permanent vehicle counterpart is flawed, as a rider must then equip any vehicle being used with that counterpart. Some devices have been proposed which are umbilicalled to a pressurized gas-providing component of a motorcycle. Serious issue arises in that high pressure, instant feed is required for the suggested devices to properly operate. If a gas shock is not fully charged or capable of providing such high, instantaneous pressure, a rider or passenger is unprotected. Further, the same vehicle dependency as noted above exists. And, without a gas-sourced vehicle, such as with many recreational vehicles and even bicycles, such an inflating suit is impossible.
Still other devices presented involve some form of lean detection, wherein a given degree of lean from vertical, for rider or machine, causes protective wear to inflate. Such devices totally negate performance riders who lean excessively, jump, flip, or perform any number of riding feats, yet these riders need protection too.
Further devices provide partial body protection, such as a vest, yet shoulders, arms, buttocks, thighs, knees, and other body parts need protection too. And, a rider of a given vehicle may need or desire only upper body or lower body protection, and a choice between those or both. Conversely, at least one previous device provided consists of a full body suit, which negates that choice.
Yet another very real concern is style. It is well established that many riders refuse to wear anything that they envision as unbecoming. Even helmets have experienced widespread rejection, even though helmets have been determined real lifesavers. Consequently, any device providing safety must seriously consider appearance.
Yet another concern is deflation of any inflating protective wear. Some devices suggest manual deflation. This is not desirable in a host of situations. For example, should an individual be injured beyond capability of operating a manual deflation mechanism, the confining and even suffocating nature of effective inflatable clothing items can be dangerous.
What has been needed is a form of protective wear which provides separate upper body and lower body self-inflating protection, a protective wear which is self-contained so that a rider may choose a vehicle without regard to equipping every vehicle chosen with complimentary equipment, one which is sufficiently stylish to encourage wear, and one which is basic and at least substantially mechanical, without complexity and electronics which increase expense and installation, and decrease reliability. The device should provide user choice in upper body protection, lower body protection, and both. Such a device should provide tethered means for triggering internally housed inflation means, as well as optional g-force auto inflation triggering. The device should also provide for self deflation, with optional time elapse choices and optional override. The present apparatus fulfills these needs.